Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-01

horse and clasped his daughter to his

"Safe, my father, safe!" she sobbed, a
/ she returned to his embrace.
"Whst tribe are those that tollow?'
asked the Major of Lagona, who sat still
as a statue upon his painting horse.
"Lipans! They want the scalp of tn
! white flower, whom l took from then
: when they were ready TO burn herr" SAFE
LagOna, quietly.
"By heavens you're trump, if you ar
Comanchel" said the Major, warmly
extending his hand, which the youn!
chief did not take.
: 'Too proud TO shake hands with an OLE
ranger, suppose" said he, noticing this
"The hands Of the rangers are red Witi
the blood of my peopIe!n said the Indian
. naughaly.
There's not much odds between u!
there expect your hands ere as red q:
ours; but we can appreciate q noble sc
ton in foe as well IS q friend. YUr
have saved the girl, end we thank you fol
it," said Mccullough.
81 did not save her for you'll took hel
for myself!" said LagOna haughtily.
"That's cool, but we've no time to ar
que matters. There are too many yelling
Lipaps in that crowd for Us t. face
Mount, Mr.. DeI0rme-we must retreat to
our main bo' y, and then we'u have
strength to make these yelling devils
turn their naCks!"
The directions of the major were
obeyed, and not q moment too soon, for
tle Lipans were close at hand.
The party, riding back ct full speed,
were soon again with the rangers who,
now formed in line of battle, awaited Joy
Ously the approach of the Ied-skinned
:. fOemen.
But the Lipans, when they arrived
within few hundred yards of the Tex
ans, drew up-for they had a wholesome
/ terror of the men whose fire, once opened,
was fatal and unCeasirg.
Cpd give a thousand dOublOons for
fresh horses now" muttered Mccullough,
as be saw the enemy halt. zone fair
charge would tumble half of them to the
grass, and send the rest eff bowling"
The Lipans, seeing that the Texans
made no advance, began to gather cOur-
age, and as their force was large they be-
gan to "caVoIt' in circles and yell de-
tiance.
"They must have lesson, boys!" said
the major; "but we must only make a
small show, CT they'll all run and give Us
no chance for fun at all.''
He now directed some fifteen or twenty
men who had the finest and freshest
Horses to prepare to follow him; and
when they had looked TO their arms,
( frightened their girths and set themselves
firm in their saddles, he gave the wild
yell OF the rangers, and driving home
his spurs IN the TANKS OF his fiery horse,
! dashed 1t headlOng speed away toward
the yelling savages.
His men were close in his rear, ct least
those whom he had picked, and their yells
rang out as loud as his own
For one instant Lagona glanced al
them, and then giving the rem 10 his wild
stead and shouting mis- war cry he shook
his lance GlUfa and sped mRdly on to Join
tn fray.
And cry of terror rose from the lips
Of Mr.. DelOrme at this moment, for the
coal black steed upon which Stella was
mounted, hearing the cry Of its Comanche
master, flew OF wildly to join him and its
mate, and poor Stella was pOWerless to
restrain it.
"For Heavens sake, men, charge ell,
Or my child is lost!" cried the planter, as
he saw the terrified girl borne away like
leaf upon the whirlwind.
''It's worth more than our lives TO move
without an order from the Major" said
the officer next in charge.
''Then | go alone!" cried the agOnized
father, aud alone he sped away after his
child.
The Lipans, when they saw low few of
the rangers were about to charge them,
drew up in something like order to re-
ceive them, and while they drew their ar
rows to head and loosened their lances
for action they gave back yell for yell to
the advancing foe.
Soon the rangers were at hand and on
the reins loose upon the horses neCks,
the terrible revolver in each hand-they
camel In moment they were within
range and a sheet Of fire opened from
their deadly tubes, and then the hurting
shaft, the pointed lance and the cleaning
steel began 10 do their work.
McCulIough's voice was loudest of ell,
aud his form foremost of all for an instant
fonly; then wild steed dashed on even
before him and the terrible cry of Lagona
rang fearfully upon the ears OF the Lipans
Downtown they went, before the lead
and steel Of the rangers: downtown
they went under the terrible war club of
,LagOna, aud wheresOe'r he rode they fell
back. For, close behind HIM, wheeling
as he wheeled aud charging as he charged,
rode Stella Delorme, borne powerless
upon the mighty steed whereon he had
saved her from the death by torture Eike |
spirit, rather than a mortal, thus she |
rode, unframed, amid the storm Of weap- |
Ons-pale, excited, wondering how she |
could be spared.
The Lipans, terrified at their fearful !
loss, began to retreat; and Mccullough, |!
Who had lost nearly third of his brave
followers, felt not like following them. !
But madness seemed to have seizad upon |
Lagtna; he rushed all wildly into the |
thickest Of the retreating foe, seeming |
only 10 thirst for blood and to scorn the |
thousand deaths which menaced him.
But shrlll Shrek from the lips of
Stella aroused him an instant |
from his bloody frenzy. Pekito had |
seized her bride rein and was urg-
ing her horse away amid his re;reating
braves. In a second Legona was by
her side; one moment more, and PekitO
was corpse-bTained by the war club of
the COmanChe-and the rein of Stella's
horse was free end its head turned back
in time for her father to see who had
second time saved his child.
The Lipans were now in full fiight-all
save some fifty, who were stretched upon
the ground, and who would never tread
the war path more.
Aud Lsgona-all covered with the
blood of those with wpom he had oattled,
and stained also with his own, from more
than one wound-nOW sat as quiet upon
MS painting horse as if he had only been
1t play.
CHAPTER ".